The Retired CEO's Guide To Being Spoiled-Chapter 302: Unspoken Sentiments

Julian Sterling no longer cared about the rest of the matters. In this play, his role was considered finished. As for the remainder, he would leave the stage to Louis York.

Julian stopped worrying about the affairs on the internet. He unlocked his phone and began replying to Lucas Hill’s messages. Yesterday’s incident was also resolved thanks to Lucas. Otherwise, they truly would have had no way to deal with that camera. Time was tight, and finding someone capable on such short notice was no easy task.

Lucas Hill remained true to his usual style, the moment he saw Julian replying to messages continuously, he knew Julian had free time. He immediately picked up the phone and called.

"How is it? Are things settled on your end?"

"It is settled. Thank you for yesterday." Julian chuckled, though his voice was still slightly hoarse.

Normally, Lucas would have definitely teased him. The number of times Lucas called Julian was not high, but more than half of those times, he heard Julian’s voice sounding hoarse like this. Getting married truly meant living a life filled with abundant sexual activity.

But this time, Lucas did not tease Julian. He fell silent for a moment before hesitatingly asking: "Julian... are you happy?"

Julian suddenly froze.

Happy?

It seemed like a long time had passed since anyone asked if he was happy. So long, in fact, that Julian had forgotten the very definition of happiness.

What did it mean to be happy?

Suddenly, Julian recalled the image of that man. Ethan Caldwell was sometimes cold, unreasonably overbearing in ways that were hard to describe. It was the aura of someone who had held power for a long time, unaccustomed to sharing with others. Yet, this man was incredibly gentle with him.

Ethan would pay attention to every trivial detail, would buy the things Julian liked. He would coax Julian whenever Julian was unhappy, and would carefully sit and peel seafood simply because Julian liked eating it.

In truth, they were just very simple things.

Happiness?

Perhaps.

Julian smiled: "What is wrong? Were you frightened by that news? You know that Ethan and I have been targeted by people recently. It is all fake news, there is no need to believe them."

Lucas sighed: "It is not because of those things. From the very beginning when you founded this company, was it not also to leave a way out for yourself?"

Julian did not refute this. Lucas was a smart person, there was no way he would fail to notice such a trivial matter. Julian was merely waiting for the person on the other end of the line to continue speaking.

Sure enough, Lucas spoke up again: "Julian, if you are happy, you should cherish it, but do not spill your guts out and give your all to someone else. The ruthless tactics Ethan uses to deal with others today might, one day, be unleashed upon you. I hope that even if you are immersed in this, you must remain sober and clear-headed."

In reality, outsiders were always more clear-sighted than those involved. Just like Julian in the beginning. Because he held no romantic feelings, every single step and calculation he made was directed towards his own future.

A future that belonged solely to Julian Sterling, a future guaranteed to be safe and secure.

But lately, things were no longer like that. Recently, everything Julian did was directed towards both himself and Ethan Caldwell. He had subconsciously begun to view this person as an extension of himself.

The future no longer held just his solitary silhouette, there was now someone standing shoulder to shoulder beside him.

If Julian was happy, a future like that was exceptionally good.

But if it was just as Lucas Hill said, and everything was merely a superficial facade, then he should not give his heart and soul entirely to the other person. What he would receive in return might not simply be betrayal, but perhaps eternal damnation, dying without an intact corpse.

"I understand, thank you." Julian smiled softly, still lying lazily on the bed: "Did you call me just to ask about these things?"

Lucas’s voice remained steady: "Mhm, I hope you do not find me too nosy. After all, the only reason I could reach this stage was because you pulled me out of that lost maze. Julian, I do not want you to become the old me, losing your way."

"Our situations are not the same, Lucas. Besides, rest assured, I will not let myself fall into such a dead end."

"Mhm..." Lucas’s voice hesitated, eventually turning into a sigh: "I have sent the work to your email, remember to check it."

"Alright, thank you."

Lucas hung up the phone. Julian tossed his phone aside and stared blankly up at the ceiling. He buried himself in the blankets, yesterday, after taking a bath, Ethan Caldwell had not dressed him again, and Julian was also too lazy to do it himself, so his entire body was still naked, buried deep within the duvet. Julian’s fingertips traced along the fabric of the blanket, his gaze turning slightly vacant as his mind gradually drifted far away.

Had he been letting himself go that much recently, to the point where even Lucas felt the need to warn him? Julian knew that part of the reason might be the recent rumors of Ethan’s infidelity and domestic violence escalating, causing Lucas to worry for him.

But it was true that Ethan Caldwell had gradually occupied a place in Julian’s heart.

And what about how that man felt toward him?

Julian did not know.

His thoughts slowly drifted further away, his mind beginning to calculate all sorts of scenarios, also starting to weigh whether he should continue with this current state of affairs or not. Should he face his own heart and admit his feelings for Ethan Caldwell? Or should he sober up, constantly reminding himself of his rightful place?

How detestable. Suddenly, Julian found himself hating this commercial marriage.

If...

If, right from the very beginning, they had married for love, how beautiful that would have been.

At the very least, he would not need to ponder so much over whether the other person loved him or not. Whether the feelings he poured out would receive any response in return.